Hiding in the Dark - A Prequel
by KD Rose
Summary: Prequel to Never Stop Running. After suffering the loss of her family, Ashlynne journeys to Cyrodiil, where she meets the Valerian family, a clan of vampires that the world doesn't know exists. Accepted by the only son, Atticus, and a Nord Spirit only known as Prudence, she begins her new life hidden away, finding her first love, and learning to survive a life without human contact
1. Chapter 1

**Trigger Warning for rape, violence, and gore.**

I remember being born in a late winter. Of course, I was only told that, because there was no way for me to remember such details as an infant. Both my brothers were summer children, born in the late and early summers. I knew the harshness of the cold, and was sick often as a small child. My eldest brother had the freedom of leaving our home and exploring the wilderness beyond. He was 7 years older than me, so didn't spend much time with me unless he absolutely had to. When we were smaller, we were inseparable, but as soon as he reached manhood he had other things on his mind. He quickly abandoned me for the advancements of a high born Altmer girl that lived in the capital.

After a year of chasing Eilnn, she broke his heart and her family moved away, back to their home in the Summerset Isles. And then he became cold, but more protective, and watched over me the way a brother should. But he was never the same cheerful boy I had known before. But that all changed when our baby brother Laramie was born. Our mother assured us that a new baby did not mean she didn't love us any less. I understand what my mother told me, but it didn't stop me from being jealous.

Mother stopped singing to me after Laramie was born. So did father. I remember hiding in the darkness outside my baby brother's room, watching my parents around his crib, singing him the same lullabies they used to sing to my eldest brother Donovan and I. I wouldn't watch for long, even though in the beginning I would scurry off as soon as he was fast asleep. Donny was always waiting for me in our room. I think he realized how hard I was taking it. Mother had stopped singing to him at a younger age, and I was just being selfish. I missed her voice, and that's why I hid and listened every night.

Donny was 16 then, he didn't care about lullabies or any of the childish things I still believed. But he was mature enough to know that I still needed to. I stopped trying to hear our mother's voice after Donny started singing to me. He had a beautiful voice like mother's, but it was lower with tones I had never heard before. He sang the same lullabies mother had sang to us, kneeling by my bed and stroking my hair.

We grew closer after Laramie was born, not just because we spent so much time together. But we looked different than him. Laramie inherited our father's blonde hair, while we took after our mother's ebony hair. My father used to tell me that mother was his stubborn little raven that he stole away from the city. It might as well have been true, and Donny's relationship with Eilnn reminded me of our parent's.

My father only had his inn, and met my mother by chance while visiting Evermor. My mother was considered high class, and my father wasn't even close to that. Even with all her advantages, she still left her comfortable life and left to live with my father. My father didn't have to do much wooing, their love was almost instant. My mother was actually betrothed to another at the time, and thus disowned by her family. But she didn't care, she chose to be with my father and she was happy. At least my parents had a happy ending.

A year after Laramie was born, my father finally let me help in the inn. I was 10, and helped my mother bake and cook for the patrons. I had a knack for baking and my mother put me in charge of making crostatas and sweet rolls. Donny used to help in the inn, but now father gave him a job to collect shipments from Evermor in his place. Donny was given his first horse, a white and brown spotted mare that he named Andorra. Andorra was very friendly, but after many attempts let me stroke her mane and Donny to mount her. I still remember how excited he looked as he tested her on a trot around our property. He left on his way to Evermor, only shouting back that he would see me in the morning.

"Lynne, give this to Thorne, would you?" My mother, Amina handed me a bowl of apple cabbage stew and a tankard of mead. I nodded as she wiped her hands onto a rag, ushering me away. I carefully shuffled over to him, making sure not to trip or bump into anything. He looked up and smiled as I placed his food and drink in front of him, interrupting his reading.

"What are you reading, Mister Nerevra?" I asked, fixing the folds in my skirt.

"Oh, you wouldn't be interested in this, little one." He chuckled, his smile reaching his sapphire blue eyes. I grinned as he sampled his meal, accidentally dripping some of the broth onto his unshaven chin. He turned to me, wiping his face as he laughed. "Did you help your mama make this, sweetie?"

I shook my head, my black waves swaying behind me. "No. But there's some desserts I made if you'd like one."

Mister Nerevra must have noticed my pride in my work. "Well then, yes. I would very much like one, darling."

"What would you like?" I urged, smiling brighter.

He stared at me for a moment before answering. "Surprise me."

I had to sleep alone tonight. Donny was gone, and that meant no lullabies. That meant alone in the dark all night. I stared at the candlelight as I dressed into my over sized nightgown, only snapping out of my loneliness as I noticed my brother's necklace laying on his bed. I crept over, examining the red feather before picking it up. It felt nice in my hands, the leather cord smooth and soft from constant wear. Without a second thought I slipped it over my head, letting the phoenix feather dangle over my chest.

"Donovan left that for you." I jumped as I heard my mother in my doorway.

"Why would Donny do that? He never takes it off." I stammered, turning to face her.

She gave me a small smile, inviting herself into my room. "Because he knows how lonely it can be at night, especially when he can't sing to you."

I stared up at her wide-eyed. "No, Donny doesn't sing to me. Only mama and papa sing."

She looked down at me in disbelief. "I know its been hard having a baby, but Laramie didn't replace you. Just like how you didn't replace Donovan." She smoothed back my hair, lifting up my chin. "I will always love you, Lynne. Infants are hard work, they need extra attention. I promise things will get better." She held out her smallest finger to me, offering her words. I grabbed hers with mine, gripping tightly as I smiled.

My mother gave me a quick kiss on the forehead before leaving the room, upon hearing knocking. I didn't follow even though I wanted to, I just sat down on my bed and played with my brother's necklace.

I snapped my attention to my open door as I heard my mother scream. "Annas!" Within seconds my father was sprinting down our hallway, gripping an ax in his hand as he passed my room. I quickly jumped from my bed, peeking around the corner into the hallway. I stared frozen as I witnessed the three intruders, one of them immediately driving a sword through my mother's stomach. My father shouted in anger and swung violently at the man that just wounded my mother. She was still alive, that much was obvious as she crawled towards me, clutching her heavily bleeding stomach.

She reached a bloody hand out to me, staring into my wide eyes as hers grew dark. She could only mutter my younger brother's name as tears slid down her cheeks before completely collapsing, her now cold eyes fixed on me. My mother was dead. The panic hit me hard as I began to sob, running for Laramie's room without thinking. I slammed the door behind me, quickly moving behind his dresser and pushing it against the door. I wasn't strong, only managing to block the door halfway.

I rushed over to his crib, reaching in to calm him. Laramie stared at me with his bright golden eyes, before he started to cry loudly. I shushed him, not entirely sure what to do. I could hear my father fighting, but I knew there was no way he could take on all three. I let out a short scream as someone threw themselves against the blocked door.

I couldn't think straight, my mind was rattled in fear of what could happen. I couldn't hear my father anymore. _I was terrified._ I sat Laramie down on the floor and tried my best to open the single window in the room. He reached up to me and wailed, he must have been scared too. I managed to push it open fully, quickly swooping Laramie up into my arms.

I cowered in the corner as the door burst open, the dresser sliding across the floor. "No, go away! Please leave!" I sobbed, tears dripping from my chin. I cringed as I the man left the darkness of the hallway into the room. _Mister Nerevra._ I felt so betrayed. "Papa!" I cried, hanging onto the chance that he might still be alive.

Mister Nerevra stepped towards me, and for a split second I wanted to reach out to him, because there was no way he would do something as terrible as this. But my mother's blood was unmistakable on his clothes. I felt so helpless as he just stole Laramie from my arms placing him back into his crib. "Please don't hurt him." I pleaded, clinging to the wall as if that would hep me.

He turned to me and smiled, his eyes strange and wild as he stared at me. "Don't be afraid, Ashlynne." I could see the smoke billow into the doorway before I could smell it, the hallway lit up with fire.

"Why are you doing this?" I whispered, my eyes never leaving his as he moved closer to me.

"I could never tell you..." He muttered, wearing an expression I couldn't read. "One day you'll be a beautiful woman, just like your mother." I tensed as he reached out to me, sliding down the wall as to be out of his reach. "You'll be a good girl, won't you?" He smiled a toothy grin, but there was a certain intent revealed in his eyes that I just couldn't trust.

"Ashlynne!" I was given new hope as I heard Donny's voice. I opened my mouth to respond to his shouts, but Mister Nerevra pressed his hand over my mouth. I fought against him and he lifted me off the ground, wrapping an arm around my waist. I kicked my legs, thrashing enough to force his hand away.

"Donny! I'm in here! I'm-" Mister Nerevra threw me against the wall, inspiring a yelp to flee from my lungs. I curled up in a ball, holding my aching ribs. Mister Nerevra drew his silver sword, leaving the room to find my brother. As I climbed to my feet it became harder to breathe, the smoke filling the room. I reached into Laramie's crib and lifted him out, immediately bringing him to the window. I pushed him through, dangling him for a minute before dropping him. The fall shouldn't have hurt him, but I was afraid for him since it was pitch black outside save for the flames roaring off from our home.

I climbed out of the window, instantly hitting the ground. I turned around, expecting to see Laramie laying on the ground. _He was gone._ "Laramie?" I called out, dropping onto all fours, patting the ground, searching desperately in the dark. I kept calling his name, but he was nowhere to be seen."Laramie!"

"Go get her, Emir!" I didn't even have to look to know that someone was running towards me. I bolted, my feet aching as I stepped on branches and rocks. I wouldn't have a chance to continue searching for Laramie if they caught me. I made the mistake of looking behind, panic building up as I saw two men chasing me. My body slammed into a tree, and I fell hard against the ground. I couldn't even see to begin with, but I knew my vision was blackening as I lost conscientiousness.

I opened my eyes to see Mister Nerevra above me, a pain racking through my body rousing me awake. I pounded my fists against him, screaming for him to stop. Before I could even realize what was going on, two very similar hands reached from either side of my vision and grabbed my wrists. They pinned them to the dirt, and I struggled to see their faces. I could see dirty blonde hair and for a moment I thought I was looking at the same person. I looked down and was horrified at the scene in front of me. Blood spotted the bottom of my night gown, and Mister Nerevra was..

I screamed over and over again, struggling against these men who held me down. Mister Nerevra made a pained expression and hissed, turning to one of the men. "Break something..." He said to his companion, grunting as he tried to force himself inside further.

"No! Please don't!" The man did as he was told, looking a little uneasy, grabbing hold of my arm with both hands, as I watched I horror. There was a snap and white hot pain erupted through my body. My eyes filled up with tears and I whined, terrified as I saw the blood gushing past the bone.

"Now be a good girl.."

All I could do was cry. I couldn't even scream, because there was no air in my lungs. I felt everything, and the sting of pain had me struggling again. I turned my head to plead with one of the men, to beg for this to end. Mister Nerevra leaned forward, introducing more pain, placing my brother's feather into my open hand.

"Look only at me." I was paralyzed, only able to see my attacker above me, clutching my brother's necklace in my hand. My eyes were frozen on his panting figure, and in that moment I prayed for the first time. _I prayed for him to kill me._ The realization that my entire family could be dead hit me like a wave, and tears fell freely from my eyes, almost flowing nonstop.

"Just kill me..." My voice is weak. He ignores me, he probably can't even hear me. I grip my older brother's necklace, never letting go. I pray to any god that they just kill me but they won't.I can't possibly escape this reality. The pain is too great, the smell of fire is too real. My blood is now soaking my nightdress. I wish I could be numb, but I can't...

It isn't long after that he is finished, although it felt like years had passed. The men release my arms, and I attempt to crawl away with just one arm, my broken one feels like it is weighing me down. They don't stop me, and I suspect it's because I feel like I won't be able to stand. I never realized how sticky blood could be until this moment, as I was covered in it. I turn on my side, feeling sick. I can hear all three men stand up behind me, the crackling of breaking branches matching their footsteps.

I force myself to stand, even with my entire body on fire from the pain. I stumble for a moment before breaking into a run. I can hear Mister Nerevra shouting, but I can see almost clearly, my eyes already used to the darkness. I never stopped running, no matter how exhausted I became, because there was no way I was going to let him catch me.

An entire day had passed before I knew I was lost. Hopelessly lost, because I had absolutely no clue where I could be. I was still in the forest, but if I searched hard enough I could see a desert through the trees. I avoided any area other than the forest until I came across mountains, but I only reached them as the moon rose into the dark sky. Lack of sleep destroyed any logic I had, so I decided to rest in an a small cave until morning.

It took a while for me to fall into a deep sleep, the cold biting at my exposed skin, but when I finally I was surprised that I was unharmed. I knew of the creatures that lurked through our world, but was glad that I hadn't seen any yet. Hunger nagged at me through my stomach, and my bleeding arm shot pain through my entire body in sync with my heartbeat. I didn't give up though. _I couldn't give up._ The thought of Mister Nerevra chasing me kept me going. _Because he was probably going to kill me too._

Eventually I successfully crossed the mountains, managing to hide from anyone that crossed my path. Entering forestry again, I was welcomed by snow. A small snowflake flitted down from the sky onto my nose. I shivered, continuing my path forward as snow fell down all around me. Soon the snow started to stick to the ground, my feet becoming numb not long after. My walking slowly and I felt my knees growing weak. I looked up from the snow covered ground and stopped.

My eyes met with a pair of crimson ones, that stared blankly. These eyes belonged to a tall pale man with black hair as dark as mine. He was dressed in the fanciest clothes I had ever seen, all of them as black as his hair. He was impossibly beautiful, and he looked confused as he stared at me. My knees finally gave out and I collapsed. The man rushed over to me, quickly but carefully picking me up and cradling me in his arms. He wasn't much warmer than the ground, but I felt safe and comforted, clinging onto his soft coat.

"T-Thank...you..." I mumbled, burying my face into his chest. Even though his chest didn't rise as he breathed, and I couldn't hear his heartbeat, I still felt safe. He held me tightly and started walking, and I drifted off to sleep. _Because all my uneasiness and pain faded away with just one touch._

 ** _I feel terrible about this chapter honestly, but that should be obvious. This is the first chapter to Ashlynne's past. It's supposed to be heartbreaking. By the way, new record for how long it took me to write this chapter: only 3 days c: And I promise I am working on Never stop Running, but I'm also working on this and my Dragonborn story (finally!) But I'm sure I'll add another chapter to this story first. Sorry for the wait and I hope you enjoy this chapter (as much as any sane person could.) I am a terrible human being._**


	2. Chapter 2

_How did she get here?_ I stared down at the child in my arms, whose blood seemed to be drying. _This didn't happen to her on this day, but what did?_ I was curious and confused all at once. She had looked so relieved when she saw me. The smell of her blood almost overwhelmed me, but my need to help her overpowered my desire to tear her to pieces. She had fallen asleep almost instantly, a single tear sliding down her pale cheek before her weak golden eyes fell closed.

I made my way back silently, retreating through the hidden entrance to the cellar as to not alert any of the residents inside the manor. The manor, or the _castle_ rather, always seemed to reach the clouds from so far below. I glared as the clouds parted from the sun, and closed the barred door closed, sighing as the darkness of the tunnel cleansed my sight. The girl was sleeping so I didn't bother with torches or a magelight to guide me, not only could I see clearly, but I knew this path well. Father didn't approve of my sense of adventure, and often had one of his advisers follow me around in the day. He probably thought I couldn't control myself around humans or something, even though I visited the servants' quarters often. _But that's mostly due to where my escape was found._

Leonde despised humans, so never dared to follow me to the cellar unless absolutely necessary, which as it seems, he hasn't deemed so. _Yet._ I recognized his silver hair anywhere and did my best to avoid him at all costs. He was a nuisance and I couldn't stand his constant questions about how I was planning to deal with my future. Leave that to my father and his council. _Politics weren't really my thing._

Careful not to rouse the girl, I heaved her onto my shoulder, making my ascend up the ladder to a storage room. Upon reaching the top, I lifted the hatch, laying her on the cold floor so I could climb out. I closed the hatch and scooped her up, moving a shelf back into place with one hand. Without caution, I left the room, ignoring the shocked expressions of the human slaves as I walked by with a bloody child in my arms. _They probably thought I attacked her._

I made it to the small, but still well stocked, healer's room that was hidden away in a corner of the slaves' quarters. Under these circumstances there was no way I could bring her anywhere else, and Prue was the only person I trusted to keep this a secret. I laid her down onto one of the cots, hearing the door lock behind me.

"For the love of Talos, Owen. What did you do?" I turned to see Prue hustling over to the cot. Her long platinum blonde hair splayed onto her back as she leaned over the girl.

"You know me better than that." I hissed, taking a step back. "I found her like that. If I hadn't taken her, she would've-"

"I know." Prue didn't look up to me, cutting the sleeve off her bleeding arm. The sight of the bone sticking out from her flesh made my head dizzy, and I had to kneel down beside the bed just not to fall over. "Calm down, Owen. I might need your help." As soon as Prue even tried to touch her arm, the girl woke up, panic clear in her eyes.

"Please don't!" She pulled away from Prue, sitting up and backing up to the headboard of the cot. A pained expression came across her face and she squeezed her eyes shut, closing her legs.

"I'm not going to hurt you, I'm a healer." Prue reached out slowly to the girl, trying not to scare her further."My name is Prudence. Can you tell me your name?"

"Ashlynne..." She whimpered, her voice quiet. She lifted her head up, tears visible in her eyes.

"That's a beautiful name, Ashlynne." Prue smiled at her, sitting down on the bed. "But I promise, I'm just here to help."

Ashlynne blinked, a series of tears slipping down her pale cheeks. "Will you make the pain go..away?" She struggled to say, the pain still clear on her face.

"Yes, dear, but it'll take some time. But you just have to trust me." Ashlynne nodded and let Prue guide her back to laying down. Her golden eyes watched Prue as she worked on her arm, cutting some skin in order to slide the bone back into place. Ashlynne cringed, her lip quivering.

"Ashlynne." Prue caught my attention, and I forced myself to look away from her pained face. "This is going to hurt...a lot. But I need to do this." Ashlynne nodded again, more tears spilling down her temple. _She was trying to be strong._ But as soon as Prue grabbed hold of her arm, Ashlynne reached out for me. She tightly gripped my coat.

"Prue, what is she-"

"Let her." Prue demanded, and I obliged, reaching up and slipping her hand into mine. She squeezed tightly, fear written all over her expression. Prue did her best to make it fast, snapping the bone back into place. Ashlynne let out a short scream, becoming alarmingly pale before losing conscientiousness. Prue soothed my worry before I could even ask.

"She's fine. I'd say that's normal considering how young she is." She quickly wrapped her arm and hung it from a sling around her shoulder. "That's the easy part. Clean that wound on her forehead, would you?" I nodded, turning to grab a cloth, dipping it into a bowl of water. I began to dab at the wound, staring confused at Prue as she positioned herself in front of Ashlynne. She spread apart her legs, bending them and pushing her skirt back.

"What are you doing?" I wiped the excess blood from her forehead. Prue didn't answer me, looking disturbed. "Prue!" She looked up at me, looking more than a little worried.

"Finish up and leave."

"Why? What's wrong?"

Prue sighed, glaring up at me. "Let's just say, I'm surprised she even let you touch her."

I narrowed my brows, staring down at her sleeping face. "Why would anyone do this to a child?" Anger seeped through my words like poison.

"Only she can tell us. But we'll have to wait. For now go find some clothes for her and maybe something to eat." Prue stood up, walking over to a cabinet and grabbing a needle and thread, along with some linen wraps. I quickly finished up, feeling sick. I left the rag beside the bowl, quickly leaving. I leaned against the door after shutting it, closing my eyes and sighing. _She was only a little girl._

I punched the wall beside the door, leaving a crack in the stone. I quickly walked away, making my way past human cattle and slaves and climbing up the stares to the main level. I was only three paces away from the steps before a hand grabbed me by the shoulder, spinning me around. Not surprisingly, it was Leonde. He stared down at me with lazy dark red eyes.

He examined my coat, eyeing the blood that was left from carrying Ashlynne. "I thought you had finally begun to eat with the rest of the court?" Leonde questioned, not in the slightest aware that I had left the manor.

I shrugged his hand away, taking a step backwards. "What's the harm in having a little snack throughout the day?" I smirked, knowing at least that will irritate him.

"I hope you had the good manners not to kill it."

I frowned, hating the fact that he addressed humans as objects. "It was a _she_ , and no, I didn't kill _her._ "

Leonde hid his annoyance very well, turning on his heel and walking away from me. "Lord Valerian would like to see you before we dine for dinner."

 _Oh great._ "What does my father want, Leonde?" I questioned, a little surprised. He ignored me and continued on his way. I scoffed, wondering what might be going through Leonde's head to just walk away from me. _Father must have called him away, he is his adviser after all._ I racked my brain, trying to remember if any of my sisters had kept their clothes from when they were children. _Aretha._ My twin sister kept keepsakes of her past, and often kept ones of our deceased mother. I wasn't given any, because according to Aretha, I _murdered_ her.

Our mother Willow might not have died if not for her carrying us twins. Aretha came first and I, subsequently, killed our mother as she gave birth to me. Aretha has never forgiven me, as if it was really my fault. Although I'm sure our father has planted theories into her head by now. No matter what, I will end up inheriting my father's place as lord, although I don't wish to, I have no choice.

My eldest sister, Marina was already married away to Lord Cormac, a battle scarred vampire that wasn't always a pleasure to have over for dinner. He didn't follow the same rules as our clan did. Even though our family name was unknown, their were whispers throughout Cyrodiil of a clan that drank from the sleeping. A rumor, but none the less true. But since the birth of Marina and the death of my father's first wife, Ophelia, he implemented the change of having _cattle_ instead of hunting in the nearby towns.

Father didn't want us to be savages and go mad with blood lust, so the controlled use of human slaves kept us sane. He rarely let anyone leave the manor, unless for special trips , but I've yet to go on one. But that doesn't mean I haven't been to the cities. I've snuck out many a time, remaining unnoticed for the main part by human citizens. Each time I go a little further, becoming more curious and more adventurous with each forbidden escape. _Until today._

I pressed my ear to my twin sister's bedroom door, half expecting to hear her screaming at her fiance, but heard nothing. I figured she was probably ordering around our younger sister, Safiya. Safiya was the shame of our family. She was the only child of Augustus without the heretic black hair, and her mother was a Bosmer. She inherited most of my father's features; minus her dirty blonde hair, paled olive skin, and pointed ears. I don't know why my father suddenly bedded a Bosmer after two previous Imperial wives, but he must have had some reason. But secretly I thought that he actually fell in love for the first time. He took it hard after the death of each wife, but with Florence...He locked himself away for weeks, only accepting blood from light haired Bosmeri women. _I think that was his way of grieving._

I turned the knob, waiting a moment before rushing inside, silently shutting the door behind me. I had been in Aretha's room before, but always in secret. If she knew how many times I'd been in her room without her permission, she'd probably kill me. I scanned her room, deciding the best place to search would be one of her dressers. I pulled out each drawer one at a time, one dresser at a time. I reached the final one and slammed it shut, and cursed as a candle fell off the surface of it, rolling under her queen sized bed.

I got down onto all fours, peering into the darkness underneath. The candle had stopped against a small box. I let out a gasp, grinning as I realized I found what I was looking for. I pull out the box, the candle rolling back to me. I set it down onto the dresser and lifted the lid from the box. A warm feeling filled my chest as I sifted through the items in Aretha's box. There was a silver brooch with emeralds that formed a flower, a white silk dress, a diary...I picked up the leather bound diary, immediately knowing that it was my mother's.

"You bastard!" Aretha tackled me before I even had the chance to look up. She scratched at my face, as I held her away from me, flailing her arms wildly as she screamed at me. "My room! And my mother's things! What do you think you're doing, you...fuck!" I threw her off of my as she slashed my face with her sharp nails. I shot to my feet, backing up several feet.

"She was my mother too!" She charged at me, and I easily blocked her, throwing her onto her bed. "Enough, Aretha!"

She glared at me, sweeping her hair back, her eyes dark with rage. "What gives you the right to break into my room?" She hissed, sliding off her bed.

I changed my posture to something more passive, hoping to ease her aggression. "I...I was looking for one of your old nightgowns."

She scoffed. "What are you? A pervert?"

"No, Aretha, it's not like that..." I let out a sigh, passing a hand through my hair as I stressed over my next words. "I found a girl outside...she was terribly hurt..."

"A human?" Aretha stared blankly at me, waiting for me to answer her. I slowly nodded, preparing for her to lash out at me. She walked right past me, heading towards the opposite side of her room. She stood before the large bookcase standing there before pulling away books, letting them fall to the floor. I jumped, being caught off guard as the first book slammed loudly against the wood paneled floor. She pushed her hand into the depths behind the books, pulling out a white folded nightgown. She brought it over to me and waited for me to take it from her hands.

I grabbed the nightgown, but she didn't release her grip. She pulled, bringing me closer to her. "You owe me, Atticus. And I don't want to hear anything about this girl you found." She shoved the nightgown into my hands and I quickly fled towards the exit. I opened her door, stopping for a moment to turn to look at her.

"Don't tell father." I whispered to her, leaving her room completely, tucking her old nightgown under my coat. She had worn it around the same age as Ashlynne, so hopefully it would fit her. I hurried off to the kitchen, peeking inside to make sure there were only slaves. There was, so I headed in, knowing they feared me and wouldn't dare tell if I stole food.

"I need a meal made." I announced out loud, not really addressing anyone in particular. One of the chefs shuffled over to me, bowing her head. I leaned towards her, almost offended that she didn't back away. "I need food for a child, can you think of anything she might like?" I whispered into her ear. She thought for a moment, then nodded.

I sat down and waited patiently, watching with interest as the plump woman set away with her cooking, boiling water over a fire, and cutting potatoes. She took care of every detail, testing the soup she was clearly making after adding each ingredient. When the soup was finished, she placed a bowl full of it onto a silver tray. She moved away and quickly came back with a cup of milk.

"Anything else, m'lord?" She asked, folding her arms in front of her. I thought long and hard, searching the room. My eyes locked onto a freshly baked tray of desserts.

"One of those."

The chef grabbed one and placed it onto a napkin and then onto the tray. "A snowberry crostata?" I nodded, taking the tray. I muttered my thanks before taking my leave. I kept a fast pace to the slaves' quarters, being careful as to not be seen. I placed the tray onto my open hand, knocking with my other. The door opened immediately and Prue let me in, locking the door behind me.

Ashlynne's bloody tunic lay in a basket beside the cot, only a blanket covering her small body. She was still sound asleep, so I set the tray down on a table next to the cot. Prue examined the food, looking pleased.

"Potato soup?" She looked up at me and smiled. "Hopefully she wakes up before it gets cold." I nodded, sitting down beside her. _She looked so peaceful._

"Why did you save her, Owen?" Prue questioned, now looking very serious. "There must have been some reason."

I didn't take my eyes off of Ashlynne as I answered. "I couldn't bare the thought of her being torn apart by one of those monsters." I reached over, barely gracing my fingers across her cheek. "She needed my help."

Prue was dead silent for many moments. "You're one of those monsters too, Owen."

I squeezed my eyes shut, pained by how horrible that truth was. "I will never hurt her." I pulled my hand away, turning to Prue. "Not all vampires are like my father, Prue." I stared at her motionless face, trying to understand what could have possibly brought her here to me. _She left a terrible misfortune just to be saved by a monster like me._


	3. Chapter 3

I woke with an awful feeling in my throat. I could sense Prue next to me, and she pushed a wooden bucket into my lap. I sat up instantly, heaving into it. She brushed my hair from my face, holding it back. I was surprised anything even came up from my empty stomach. My throat burned and I cringed from the taste in my mouth. I should've been embarrassed as the blanket fell from my chest, revealing it. But I was too busy throwing up again to care. The wave passed and I laid back down, the pain in my ribs more evident now. I covered myself back up and curled into a ball when Prue took the bucket away. Everything hurt. But I felt relief when I saw the man watching over me. I think I heard Prue call him Owen earlier.

My stomach growled as I noticed the plate of food next me, heat still radiating off of the soup. "Is that for me?" I asked, glancing over at Owen. He nodded, rising from his seat and walking over to the bed.

He sat down next to me, and grabbed the tray of food, setting it down on his lap.

"I hope you like it. I wasn't sure what tastes you've acquired, but this seemed enough." I nodded, grateful that he was thinking of me. He motioned for me to sit up and I did, and Prue helped me tuck the blanket under my arms so that it wouldn't slip down. He set the tray down onto my lap. It was warm and the soup smelled delicious. I recognized it immediately. _Potato soup._ It reminded me of mother, and I fought the urge to cry. I scooped up a spoonful and eagerly dug in. Owen looked content just watching me eat. The soup had a more refined taste to it compared to the version my mother used to make. But my mother had the mindset of both the city and the country.

The aching in my belly began to subside as I emptied the bowl, a little embarrassed by how fast I consumed it. But Owen didn't seem to mind. My eyes lit up as I noticed the delicacy in front of me. _A snowberry crostata._ They were difficult to master, and I had never even attempted to bake one, so I'd never had the chance to taste one for myself. I couldn't stop myself from smiling. "Thank you." My lips trembled after the first bite. _It was amazing._ I took the time to savor it to the last bite.

"How was it?" Owen asked, seeming eager for my answer.

"It was delicious." I paused to take a drink of milk. "I've always wanted to bake these, so I've never tasted one before."

"You can bake?" Owen smiled down at me.

"Yes." I grinned. "I bake a lot. My mother-" I stopped mid sentence, the final image of my mother appearing in my mind. Owen took the tray away as I began to sob, the sight of her blood still fresh in my mind. Prue sat down on the bed, petting my hair as she shushed me. Owen leaned forward and wiped away the tears on my cheek with his thumb. I leaned into his hand, seeking the affection he was offering me.

"What happened, Ashlynne?" Owen pulled his hand away, turning his body to face me.

I stared at him, my vision blurred from the tears. _I didn't want to remember._ "They broke into the house..." I struggled to say between weak breathes. "I watched them kill my mother...there was so much blood." I shut my eyes, hiding my face behind my arm. "I tried to escape with my baby brother, but Mister-" _I couldn't say his name._ "My older brother came home early from his trip to Evermor..."

"Evermor?" Owen looked confused. "Are you from High Rock?"

I nodded, suddenly becoming worried. "Where are we?"

"Cyrodiil." Prue answered. I didn't know if I should feel relieved or be filled with sorrow. _I had no one left, so what was the point anyway?_ She then urged me to continue.

"They set our home on fire, if Donny hadn't come to help me when I started screaming he had to be dead too." The aching in my heart almost became to unbearable to stand. "I lost my baby brother and they chased me and they...caught me." The pain between my legs reminded me all too well of what happened next. "I wouldn't stop screaming so one of them broke my arm...it hurt so much." _I wanted to wail, to scream, to cry_. "There's nothing more painful in this world than what he did to my family...not even what he _did_ to me." I looked over to Prue, who looked ready to cry. Owen looked furious.

He reached out and grabbed my hand, placing it onto his cheek, kissing it. "I won't let anyone hurt you ever again."

"Promise?" I sniffled.

"Yes." He stared into my teary eyes.

"And hope to die?" The phrase rung in my head, the thought of Donny once saying it to me causing my chest to ache once more.

"I promise."

After I had calmed down, Owen left, and Prue helped me dress in the nightgown Owen had brought me. It fit me perfectly, and the silk fabric it was made with soothed my fevered skin. Prue had forbidden me to leave my cot, warning me o the time it would take to heal properly. She said I needed to rest and not strain myself. She kept water by my bed and didn't leave my side unless she had to tend to anyone that came into the room. The three I had seen come in were all female, their necks bleeding. I was curious, because I had never seen wounds like that before. Just two small punctures on the side of their throat.

Prue took care of each one, wrapping a single bandage around their entire neck after cleaning the small wounds. The last female that came in seemed more than a little worried. She rushed in, her dark skin seeming to pale as she almost fainted before Prue could lay her down on a cot across from me. "I told you, Lu'nne. It only gets worse when you fight it."

The Redguard woman let out a chuckle, hissing as Prue examined her neck. "It's not in my nature, Prudence. You know that." Prue only stared down at her condescendingly, wrapping her neck. The Redguard looked over Prue's shoulder at me, looking me up and down as she touched her short hair. "What'd _they_ do to her?"

I suddenly became very self conscious, pulling the blanket higher up my chest. " _They_ didn't do anything. I found her like that." Prue stated pretty bluntly, trying to shoo Lu'nne out the door.

"She's too young anyway. I should've known better." I heard Lu'nne say to Prue before she shut the door.

Prue turned to me with an innocent look. I could tell she didn't want me to ask anything. _But I did anyway_. "What was she talking about?"

Prue let out a sigh. "I don't think it's a good idea to tell you just yet. Eventually, but not now."

"When can I know?" I asked, desperately wanting to know what she wouldn't tell me.

"That's Owen's decision."

I felt bad for leaving Ashlynne after what happened to her. Her entire family was most likely dead and she was, in every sense of the word, _broken_. I still can't believe she made it all the way to Cyrodiil from High Rock. She was lucky she wasn't attacked again. I could barely hear my father over my thoughts of her, the looks of pain she made still utterly heartbreaking.

"Atticus!" My father immediately brought me out of my daze as his voice boomed throughout the room. "Do I have your attention now?" I looked up at my father, who still remained seated even though he was angry with me.

I nodded. "Yes, father. I apologize."

He seemed to forgive me for now. "Have you made a decision?"

"No." I immediately answered. "But I have no choice, do I?" I glared up at him.

My father wasn't fazed, passing a gloved hand through his pitch black hair. "The Murella's have become a great asset to us."

"Aretha doesn't even want to marry Demetrius, what makes you think his sister would want to marry me either?" I shook my head. "They both want to be warriors, they'll both fight this and you know it."

He locked his blood red eyes on me, making me nervous. "This family needs this, Atticus. Don't be selfish."

"Selfish?" I scoffed. "You're the selfish one!"

"He's also your Lord." Leonde said, looking pleased even though his comment seemed to irritate my father.

My father finally rose from his chair, placing his hand on the hilt of his sword, which was securely strapped to his side. "You will do as I command, my son." There was a threat hidden by his words, but Leonde and I were able to notice it before he sat back down, instantly relaxing.

I turned to leave, no longer wishing to see my father's smug face. He stopped me as I reached the door. "And I want you to stop visiting the humans. You belong up here, Atticus."

My hatred for my father emitted off my body like heat, and I cursed him in my mind the entire way to my room. I wanted to visit Ashlynne soon, but now definitely wasn't the time. Just my luck and Leonde would _actually_ follow me down to the cellar. _That's just what I needed._ I wasn't entirely sure what father would do if he found out about Ashlynne. He'd probably call her my _pet_ , or kill her. Neither sounded good for Ashlynne, especially the lather.

It wasn't particularly uncommon for us to have human pets, but my family was very sophisticated, and the servants' quarters was already filled with human cattle. So it most likely is something my father has worried about. But Ashlynne isn't my _pet_. I'm just taking care of her, but it won't be short term. She already said that her family was dead, she has nothing to go back to, no one to miss her. _She's better of here, with me_. Although I wasn't sure how this was going to work out, I guess for now sneaking short visits would be the best I could do. But the truth will have to come out eventually.

I tore off my coat, throwing it against the floor. I hadn't realized just how much blood she had actually left onto my coat until I looked down, and saw the state of my white shirt. It had bled through my coat, red spots covering my shirt. I unbuttoned it, throwing it onto my coat, sighing because they were ruined. It didn't bother me, not really. I was just glad that Ashlynne would start to heal soon. Seeing her slowly shuffling through the snow made me pity her before I could even see her face. She had been in pain for so long, but still managed to smile at me when she saw me. I knew from the moment her golden eyes locked onto me that I was captured. She may be the one confined to the infirmary right now, but I'm the one that can't get her out of my head.

I laid down onto my bed, able to stay sane even with the scent of her blood enticing me just by thinking of her smiling face. My chest ached when I saw her cry. Her face as she wept was very beautiful but it still pained me to see her in that state. _She was only a child_. She didn't deserve anything that had happened to her. All I could do now is keep her safe. I still don't know what overcame me, what made me bring her here. I can blame it on the guilt I felt if she died outside, or just my need to disobey my father. But in the end, I think...I just wanted to help her. I wanted to be relied on by someone other than myself. I needed to feel like less than a monster. Because when she saw me, she didn't see a monster. _She saw a man_.

 _ **I've been going crazy with this, I know. Believe me, still working on my other projects, but this one felt more immedate and I've had so much inspiration for it, so why waste it? These last two chapters have been going somewhat slow, but I just wanted to get some of the explanation out of the way first. I'll probably write the fourth cchapter for**_ **Hiding in the Dark _before I work on anything else, but please be patient for an update on_ Never Stop Running _. Thank you so much for sticking with me and reading my stories._**


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